# Piped — Privacy-Friendly YouTube Frontend

> Piped is a self-hosted alternative YouTube frontend that proxies video streams through your server, removing ads and tracking while providing a fast, modern viewing experience.

## Install

Save in your project root:

# Piped — Privacy-Friendly YouTube Frontend

## Quick Use
```bash
git clone https://github.com/TeamPiped/Piped-Docker
cd Piped-Docker
cp template.env .env
# Edit .env with your domain settings
docker compose up -d
```

## Introduction
Piped is a privacy-respecting alternative frontend for YouTube built with Vue.js and backed by a Java API server. It proxies video streams, removes ads, and strips Google tracking while offering features like SponsorBlock integration and DeArrow support. Self-hosting gives you full control over your viewing data.

## What Piped Does
- Streams YouTube videos without ads or Google tracking scripts
- Provides subscription management without a Google account
- Integrates SponsorBlock to skip sponsored segments automatically
- Supports playlists, comments, and channel browsing
- Proxies video and audio streams through your own server

## Architecture Overview
Piped consists of three components: a Vue.js frontend, a Java backend (Piped-Backend) using the ActiveJ framework, and a proxy service for streaming media. The backend extracts video metadata using NewPipe Extractor and serves it via a REST API. The proxy handles bandwidth-intensive video streaming. All components are orchestrated with Docker Compose behind a reverse proxy.

## Self-Hosting & Configuration
- Deploy all three services using the official Piped-Docker repository
- Configure your domain and TLS certificates in the environment file
- Set up Nginx or Caddy as a reverse proxy for the frontend and API
- Tune proxy cache settings to reduce bandwidth to YouTube servers
- Enable federation to connect multiple Piped instances

## Key Features
- No Google account required for subscriptions and playlists
- SponsorBlock and DeArrow integration built into the player
- Supports audio-only mode for music listening
- Responsive PWA interface that works on mobile browsers
- RSS feed generation for channels and playlists

## Comparison with Similar Tools
- **Invidious** — Ruby-based alternative; different architecture and community
- **FreeTube** — desktop-only app; not self-hosted in a browser
- **NewPipe** — Android-only; no web interface
- **YouTube ReVanced** — modded app; requires a Google account

## FAQ
**Q: Is Piped legal to self-host?**
A: Piped accesses publicly available YouTube data. Self-hosting for personal use is a common practice, but review your jurisdiction's regulations.

**Q: How much bandwidth does a Piped instance use?**
A: Bandwidth depends on usage. Each proxied video stream consumes bandwidth equivalent to the video quality selected. Caching can reduce repeat requests.

**Q: Can I import my YouTube subscriptions?**
A: Yes. Piped supports importing subscriptions from Google Takeout, NewPipe, and other Piped instances via OPML or JSON.

**Q: Does Piped support live streams?**
A: Yes. Live stream playback is supported through the same proxy infrastructure used for regular videos.

## Sources
- https://github.com/TeamPiped/Piped
- https://docs.piped.video
- https://piped.video

---
Source: https://tokrepo.com/en/workflows/d79c8ff3-3c4d-11f1-9bc6-00163e2b0d79
Author: AI Open Source